pulmonology terms

Question 1

alveolus (plural alveoli)

alveol/o = alveolus

Answer 1

a thin-walled air sac at the end of a respiratory bronchiole; exchange of oxygen takes place between air in alveoli and capillary blood supply surrounding them

Question 2

bronchus (plural bronchi)

bronch/o = bronchus

Answer 2

after entering the thoracic cavity, the trachea divides into the right primary bronchus to the right lung and the left primary bronchus to the left lung; they subdivide into more narrow secondary and tertiary bronchi and eventually become the narrowest bronchioles

Question 3

bronchiole(s)

bronchiol/o

Answer 3

the narrowest airway tube; carries air from bronchi to alveoli; as a bronchiole approaches a group of alveoli, it becomes a respiratory bronchiole that terminates in the alveoli

Question 4

pneumoconiosis
pneum/o = lung, air
coni/o = dust
-osis = abnormal condition

Answer 4

abnormal condition of dust in the lungs

Question 5

cyanosis
cyan/o = blue
-osis = abnormal condition

Answer 5

abnormal condition of being blue; blood that is low in oxygen is a deep, dark red color that gives skin a blue tint

Question 6

diaphragm

diaphtragmat/o

Answer 6

muscle that forms the floor of the thoracic cavity, separating it from the abdominopelvic cavity; major muscle of inspiration; at rest, it is dome-shaped; when it contracts (shortens), it flattens out, thereby increasing the size of the thoracic cavity and creating a vacuum; outside air rushes into lungs through the trachea to fill the vacuum; when the diaphragm relaxes it returns to done shape, increasing pressure within the thoracic cavity and pushing air out of the lungs.

Question 7

lobe(s)

lob/o

Answer 7

each lung is subdivided into lobes: the right lung has three lobes (superior, middle, and inferior), and the left lung has two (superior and inferior)

Question 8

mediastinum

mediastin/o

Answer 8

central region of the thoracic cavity between the lungs; contains the trachea, heart, aorta, esophagus, lymph nodes, and thymus gland

Question 9

orthopnea
orth/o = straight
-pnea = breathing

Answer 9

shortness of breath or difficulty breathing when lying down; people who have difficulty breathing often feel they can breathe easier if they are sitting up rather than lying down

Question 10

oxygen

ox/i = oxygen

Answer 10

a gas required by every cell of the body for cell metabolism; the main function of the lungs it to inhale oxygen and load it into the bloodstream

Question 11

anoxia
an- = without
ox/i = oxygen
-ia = condition

Answer 11

an absence or deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues

Question 12

oximeter
ox/i = oxygen
-meter = instrument for measuring

Answer 12

instrument for measuring oxygen

Question 13

oximetry
oxi/ = oxygen
-metry = process of measuring

Answer 13

process of measuring oxygen

Question 14

pleura (plural is pleurae)

pleur/o = pleura

Answer 14

a double-layered membrane that forms a protective sac around the lungs; the outer layer is called the parietal pleura and lines the thoracic cavity; the inner layer is call the visceral pleura and covers the lungs; the space formed by the folded pleura is call the pleural cavity

Question 15

dyspnea
dys- = difficult
-pnea = breathing

Answer 15

difficult or labored breathing

Question 16

apnea
a- = without
-pnea = breathing

Answer 16

temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep

Question 17

lungs

Answer 17

paired organs found in the thoracic cavity; each consists of tubelike airways that carry air to and from alveoli (air sacs); gas exchange between the outside air and bloodstream takes place in the alveoli

Question 18

trachea

Answer 18

tube that carries air from the throat down into the chest cavity; splits into two main bronchi; commonly called the windpipe